If you can’t make it to Broadway in New York City this fall to see the Pulitzer-Prize-winning drama “Topdog/Underdog,” you can catch a production in Miami Lakes, thanks to the Main Street Players.
In the third show of the season, the cast tackles the Suzan-Lori Parks play directed by Carey Brianna Hart.
It tells the story of Booth and Lincoln, two brothers who are navigating mountains of generational trauma after being abandoned during childhood by their parents.
Roderick Randle plays Booth, the younger brother to Denzel McCausland’s Lincoln in this intense, two-character play in six scenes that runs 150 minutes.
The show contains strong language and action as well as violent themes. It touches on a lot of sensitive topics – race and Blackness, success and sexual relationships -- and it’s easily the best show of the Players’ season.
Randle and McCausland are brilliant in their roles and make their relationship and struggles believable.
Through the two acts broken up by a 10-minute intermission, we see that Booth wants to be like his older brother Lincoln, and that includes hustling the three-card monte game.
Booth feels like he’ll be able to swindle players out of their money as he practices and directs the hustle toward the audience, in what seems like a chink in the fourth wall.
Despite this adoration from Booth, Lincoln is coping with his failed marriage and the death of a friend and just wants to put the three-card monte scam behind him.
Hart the director says the show contains layers to the siblings’ relationship and calls loss -- Booth’s issues with his love interest, the unseen Grace, Lincoln’s fear of losing his legitimate job, and their day-to-day struggles to survive -- a huge theme in the show.
The baggage the men carry overwhelms their struggles to find their places in the world.
Randle as Booth is intense and frantic, while McCausland’s Lincoln is calm and understanding.
Randle strongly delivers his lines and makes intense facial features; while Lincoln descends into his own darkness, McCausland maintains control of the character.
Audiences should pay attention to the things said and of course the irony of the names of the characters and Lincoln’s choice of work.
There are moments of lightheartedness when the audience will laugh, but also be prepared to feel moments of tension.
“Topdog/Underdog” at The Main Street Playhouse, 6812 Main St. runs until Oct. 16. Curtain is at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $25 to $30. To purchase tickets or for more information go to www.mainstreetplayers.com.